Sharks pounce on Red Wings early

Sharks 4, Red Wings 3 - Joe Pavelski picked up where he left off in the first round by scoring two goals to lead host San Jose over Detroit in Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal last night.

Pavelski scored in the first period to start a three-goal outburst in 79 seconds with Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi. Pavelski added his seventh goal of the postseason on a two-man advantage in the opening minute of the third period to help the Sharks end a string of four straight home losses in series openers.

Dan Cleary, Johan Franzen and Brian Rafalski scored for the Red Wings, who opened this series less than 48 hours after winning Game 7 in the first round at Phoenix.

Capitals ponder collapse

The Washington Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy, given to the team with the best regular season.

That trophy, the one signifying regular-season excellence, is all the Capitals have for a 2009-10 season in which they aspired to win the Stanley Cup. They became the first top-seeded team to blow a 3-1 series lead against a No.8 seed and were eliminated in the first round by Montreal with a 2-1 loss in Game 7 on Wednesday.

"If someone came to your work and stepped on your desk or punched you in the head, that's how I feel," forward Jason Chimera said.

Now, their offseason begins with questions:

• Is this a team built only for the regular season?

• Can its high-flying system succeed in the playoffs?

• Are changes needed?

Coach Bruce Boudreau bristled when asked whether the latest disappointment validates criticisms that his team's style of play doesn't work in the playoffs.

"It doesn't validate anything," Boudreau replied. "I think the way we play is the way we were built, and if we had to make all these guys into checkers and play a trap game, I think it would have been a pretty boring team to watch, and we wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful as we were."

Owner Ted Leonsis wrote on his blog: "We won't do anything rash or make any decisions out of emotional angst."

Caps player helps out

After his team's wheels came off in the playoffs, Capitals forward Brooks Laich helped a stranded motorist by changing her car's flat tire.

Driving after Washington's Game 7 loss to Montreal, Laich pulled over when he saw the stopped car and got out to lend a hand.

Late landing costs Wings

The Red Wings chose to land their plane at 12:19 a.m. Wednesday in San Jose, Calif. - 49 minutes past curfew at San Jose International Airport - and face a $2,500 fine by the airport. The Red Wings said the team appreciates that the airport accommodated the late landing and accepts the fine.

Notable

Alex Ovechkin of Washington, Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh and Henrik Sedin of Vancouver were named finalists for the Hart Trophy, given to the league's MVP. Buffalo picked up the one-year option to retain coach Lindy Ruff for a 13th season.